Perforated card interpreter



LMLSS Dec. 5, 1939. l. B. KNUTsoN PERFORATED CARD INTERPRETER Filed Aug. 26, 1938 5 SheetshSheetl f. .9. ruff/fl,

AT'roRNEY wim@ MQ ,iff/$445,555,

Dec. 5, 1939.

l. B. KNuTsoN PERFORATED CARD INTERPRETER Filed Aug. 26, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 up lNvE 0R ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1939. i. B. KNUTsoN PERFORATED CARD INTERPRETER Filed Aug. 26, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 852 zwT 96s axu FEED DRUM`3 OPERATING lN//V/ENTOR ATTO R N EY y cards.

Patented Dec. 5, 1.1939

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2,181,998 PEBFOBATED CARD INTERPRETER Chicago, nl., signor to In- Machines Corporation,

...New York. N. Y., a corporation of New York Application AIM 23. 1933, Serial No. 229,359 i.v CNM. ((11. lOl-93) This invention relates to printing mechanisms and more particularly as applied to types of machines known as interpreters in which character representing perforations on record cards' are analyzed and by are printed back on the controlling record A machine of this type, known as the International alphabetic interpreter, is shown and described in Patent No. 2,076,713 granted to E. A. Ford April 13, 1937, andthe present invention relates specifically to the improvement of the type carrier interrupting mechanism of such machine to the end that the machine may be operated at greater speed and with less wear.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings whether within or without the scope -of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

Inthe drawings: I J

Fig. 1 is a central section through the card feeding, sensing and printing mechanism.

Fig.- la is an isometric of the friction drive device for the type carrier.

Fig. 2 is a detail position view of the type carrier and its operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a further position view of the type carrier and its operating mechanism.l

Fig. 5 is a timing chart of certain of the machine controlling devices.

In the following, the general operation of the machine will be but briefly described with the improved type carrier arrangement explained in greater detail. For a more detailed explanation of the machine, reference may be had to Patent No. 2,076,713 and to `facilitate cross-referencing the reference characters used in this application correspond to those designating the same parts in the patent.

Perforated record cards placed in a feed hopper A are advanced singly from the bottom of the stack by a picker knife 23 which is mounted for horizontal reciprocation by lever2l. The knife` 23 feeds each card through gauge or throat blocks 24 to feed rollers 25 which advance the card to the sensing brushes 32 and in transit thereto the card engages the usual card lever 29 to close a pair of control contacts.

the characters represented there- As the card continues its advance, it will pass between the brushes 32 and contact drum 33. A set of feed rollers 34 carried on rods 35 cooperate with the drum 33 to effect further advance of the record card.- The drum is provided with gripping fingers (not shown) arranged to hold the card against the surface kof the drum while the card passes through printing position.

As set forth in the patent referred to, drum 33 advances with an intermittent motion and with varying speeds which may be briefly explained in connection with the timing diagram of Fig. 5.

The record card has twelve index point positionsv designated R., X, O, |,"2, 3, 4, 5; 9, 1, 8 and 9 and they pass the sensing brushes 32 in this order. The rst three positions lknown as zone" positions advance slowly, pastthe brushes, with an interval between the sensing of each as indicated along the line designated D in Fig. v5. The drum then rests for a brief interval and then advances the remaining positions at a more rapid, uniform rate. By this time circuits completed through the perforations have positioned the type carriers as'will be explained andthe drum 33 then again rests to hold the card in printing position to receive an imprint from the type elements. Thereafter, the drum resumes operation to advance the card to rollers 61 which convey it to the discharge hopper B. Brake arm 11 on shaft 18 assists in bringing drum 33 to rest and prevent over throw due to inertia.

. The machine isprovided with a plurality of type bars 96 each having four groups of type elements 94, the individual type of which are horizontally slidable for printing purposes. Extending across the type bars along the printing line is the impression structure |53, which supports plungers |52 and is bodily slidable to the right by cam |51 and returned by leaf spring |59 and bell crank |60.

Each type bar or `carrier 96 is provided with an undercut slot 96a to receive the upper end'of a link 99 (see Fig. la). The upper end of the link is split as shown and the spring tension therein causes it to press firmly'against the sides of the slot. The lower extremity of the link is T shaped and fits within a retaining groove in crosshead |28 (Fig. l). The crosshead is guided vertically in a slot |29 in member |30 and reciprocation is effected through a lever |3|, which has pin and slot connection with the crosshead |28 and is controlled fromv cam |35 on shaft. I4 through member |32 o n rod |33. Cam |35 serves to move the crosshead downwardly and a second complementary cam on shaft ||4 and a suitable follower (not shown) on rod |33 returns/the crosshead to its upper position. Y

It folldws from the construction described that as the crosshead |20 reciprocates, the type bars move downand again up therewith, the friction link 00 serving to keep the relationshipv between the two as shown in Fig. l.' In the patent the carrier is normally held against movement with the crosshead and if a carrier is not to beused.,

1o there is a sliding of the link within slot 99a which produces a load on the drivingmechaf nism and wear of the frlctionally engaged parts.

In the present construction, the carrier is normally free to move up and down with the cross head and in those positions (of which there are sixty provided) in whichno printing'is to be effected the heretofore extra drag on the crosshead is eliminated. e

Each carrier has a plurality of teeth |00 cut zo in one edge which as the carrier descendsl successively pass the nose of a normally retracted stopping pawl |0i. I as the carrier descends `will attract its armature |04 to release a spring pressed bell crank |05 y2li which will thereupon push call rod |01 to the right and advance pawl I 0| into engagement with a tooth |00 to stop the carrier 36 against further movement with the crosshead, the friction connection allowing relative displacement between 80 the carrier and crosshead.

The timing of the machine is such that as the index point positions R, X and O are at the sensing brushes 32, the teeth |00 designated R, X and O will be adjacent to the stopping pawl |0 i, and if es there is a perforation in one of such positions the carrier will be interrupted by engagement of pawl |0| with the related tooth |00.' Assuming a perforation in the O position of a card column, the circuit is traceable in Fig. 3 from generator G,

0 card lever contacts 3|, wiper |83. common ring of distributor D, O segment |84, brush |35, common contact 3|, drum 33, brush 32, to socket |12, plug connection |13 to socket |14 and magnet |03 back to generator G.

45 At the time of the completion of this circuit, the O tooth |00 is opposite pawl |0| and will be engaged thereby to hold the carrier in substantially the position it occupies in Fig. 2. `In this position the group of type elements designated 5o Zone O are in readiness to pass the printing position opposite drum 33.

After the R, X and O positions have been sensed and before the positions to 9 are at the brushes 32, pawl |0| is positively retracted to free the 55 carrier for resumption of travel with crosshead |28. The retracting mechanism comprises a Vcam 300 mounted on shaft ||4 which acts on a follower 30| and through arm and link connection 302 rocks a bail 303 to move pawl |0| to the @o left. Subsequently, the carrier 38 moves downwardly with the type elements 34 in the O zone group passing the printing position as the digit positions 9 9 in the card pass the sensing brushes and upon sensing of a hole in one of 35 such positions magnet |03 is energized a second time to again interrupt the movement of the carrier with one of the type elements in the selected zone group in printing position.

Similarly, if the first energization of magnet 70 |03 were in response to the sensing of a holeinv the R position, the carrier would be interrupted with the elements of the lowermost or R. zone group in readiness to pass the printing position and after pawl |0| is withdrawn. a second eneru gization of magnet |03 would select a type ele- Energization of magnet |03.

ment in this group according tothe digital value of the second hole sensed Where a card column contains only a single perforation in a digital position |0.,the carrier is not initially interrupted and the type elements 5 34 in the uppermost group pass the printing position asthe corresponding index point positions are sensed and a circuit completed in response to a hole will stop the carrier in position to print the appropriate digit.

For selection of alphabetic characters there is therefore a direct advance of the carrier to position the appropriate zone group of type elements in readiness to pass printing position and when all zones are adjusted there is a resumption of 15 movement of the carriers and a second selection to present one of the elements in the first selected zone group to the printing position.

As in the patent, provision is made to effect an accurate alignment of the carriers prior to 9 'the sensing of the digit positions |3.' This is brought about by rocking balls |42 from the position of Fig. l to that of Fig. 2. These bails are pivoted to the reciprocating slide |30 which is operatedvthrough a lever |33 pivoted at |33 and 25 engaged by a cam on shaft |-|4. Each bail has a pin |44 extending into a slot |40 in a lever |46 pivoted at |41. The lower extremity of lever |43 is connected by a rod |43 to lever |43 pivoted at |50 and engaged by a cam |0| on shaft ||4. 3 The timing and operation of these parts is as set forth in the patent and is briefly as follows. Shortly after the zone holes R, X and O are sensed, bails |42 are rocked to the position of Fig. 2, this taking place while the hails are held in 85 their uppermost position and while crosshead |20 continues its descent. Then as the index point' positions |4-9 pass the brushes, balls |42 move down in synchronism therewith, while the bail |28 continues therewith at the same rate. The 40 critical point lies in the fact that there is a slight delay between the release of the type carriers and the commencement of descent of balls' |42 duringl which bail |23 moves the carriers down against the upper edges of the balls so their subsequent movement is controlled thereby.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification,

it will be understood that various omissions and |50 substitutions and changes in the form and de-l tails of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated. by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: l. A printing mechanism having a reciprocable type carrier provided with a plurality of type elements, an invariably reciprocable crosshead, a 00 friction'al connection between the crosshead and carrienmeans' for moving said crosshead, said crosshead normally moving the carrier with it through isaid frictional connection, means for in terrupting the carrier by engagement therewith @5 during the movement of the crosshead in one diirection, means for disabling said interrupting means by disengagln the same from the carrier at a ixed time during' the movement of the crosshead in said direction and record controlled means for causing an operation of said interrupting means before and after said fixed time to eiect a cumulative displacement of the carrier with respect to the crosshead.

2. Aprinting mechanism having a reciprocable 745 type carrier provided with a plurality of type elements, an invariably reciprocable crosshead, a fricticnal connection between the crosshead and carrier, means for moving said crosshead normally, said crosshead moving the carrier with it through said irictional connection. means for interrupting the carrier by engagement therewith during the movement or the crosshead in one direction, means for disabling said interrupting means by disengaging the same from the carrier at a xed time during the movement of the crosshead in said direction and record controlled means for causing an operation of said interrupting means at a differential time before and again at a dinerential time after said fixed time to effect a displacement of the carrier with respect to the crosshead a distance determined by the two diierential times of interruption.

3. A printing mechanism having a reciprocable type carrier provided with a plurality o! groups of type elements, an invariably reciprocable crosshead, a frictional connection between the crosshead and carrier. means for moving the Vcro'sishead and the carrier with it through said irictional connection, to cause the groups of type elements, element by element, to pass a printing position in succession. record controliedmeans operative prior to the passage of any group of type elements to interrupt the movement oi the carrier and hold the same in interrupted position, means operative at a later fixed point in the movementof the crosshead for disengaging said interrupting means and thereby enabling resumption of the movement o! the carrier with the crosshead, said record controlled means being operative again to interrupt the movement of the carrier during the passage of the elements oi the next i'ollowingy group to stop one oi said elements in printing position.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which the type carrier is provided with teeth, the interrupting means comprises a pawl engageabie with said teeth to stop and hold the carrier and the means operative at a iixed time comprises a cam controlled member for withdrawing the pawl from engagement with the teeth.

IRVING B. KNUTSON. 

